The U.S.-Japan Council strengthens ties between two close allies

Ambassador Kennedy has said about the U.S.-Japanese relations that, I quote, "the depth and reach of our partnership affects all sectors of government, business, sciences, education and culture. There is always potential to do more, deepen our ties, and explore new opportunities together." How important are organizations such as yours for the further enhancement of Japanese-U.S. relations?

The mission of the U.S.-Japan Council is to strengthen people-to-people relations between the United States and Japan. This is a very important time in U.S.-Japan relations. The economies of both countries have begun to improve, and that's good for our global economy. There are many opportunities for the future, as companies in the United States look to invest in Japan and expand their business operations, and many Japanese companies are looking at the United States and seeing opportunities for greater investment.  The U.S.-Japan Council is focused on creating opportunities for the future. We believe that ties at a people-to-people level need to be the strong foundation upon which the two countries continue their longstanding partnerships in business, defense, cultural and educational exchanges. It's also important to expand the opportunities for collaboration at a regional level. Many states in the United States have strong ties here in Japan, and there are prefectures in Japan that are being led by younger and innovative governors, several of whom have studied in the United States.  These governors see that this is an important time to encourage innovation within their respective prefectures and collaborate more with regions in the United States.

Can you give us some concrete takeaways from the interactions you've organized between the prefectures and the regional states?

In 2010, we began creating opportunities for Japanese governors to meet leaders of certain states. In 2012, we invited Japanese governors to the state of Hawaii, and they brought businesses from their prefectures that were interested in collaborating with businesses in Hawaii. As a result of that initial meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the state of Hawaii and the prefectures of Saga, Shizuoka, and Hiroshima. Then in 2014 we brought six Japanese governors to Silicon Valley, who had the chance to understand the resources and the type of ecosystem that's required to create a regional hub for innovation. They met many leaders from businesses in Silicon Valley, and explored ways to become more global in their respective areas. The governors are considering how to create hubs for innovation and encourage companies to be more global.

This obviously boosts investment and business, but it's also extended to a personal level. Is this helping the human capital exchange and cultural ties?

A fundamental aspect of what we do is creating opportunities for people to get to know each other, because they have to share a level of trust in order to feel comfortable about doing business. Several of the governors in Japan who have studied in the United States have a network of U.S.-based friends, and expanding those networks is critical to ensure that there's a strong foundation.

At the center of that we have of course Japanese Americans, who bridge this cultural gap between America and Japan, and in fact [inaudible] are uniquely positioned to impact global policy issues. What would you say maybe are the Council's top priorities at the moment in regards of shaping policy? In what sectors do you hope to push U.S.-Japanese relations?

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the U.S.-Japan Council launched the TOMODACHI Initiative, a public-private partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. We felt that one of the most significant ways we could contribute to the long-term recovery from the disaster was investing in young people, providing them with opportunities to come to the United States on short term exchanges, scholarships and fellowships. The people of the Tohoku region are very concerned about the impact of the devastation on families and young people. Through the TOMODACHI Initiative, we have focused on the next generation of leaders in the U.S.-Japan relationship. We recognize that in order to sustain our partnerships, we need young people who are familiar with both the United States and Japan, and need to connect them to the networks that currently exist.

What's been the reception of the younger generations? Are they excited about this opportunity?

It's been quite amazing to see that we can plant those seeds and give young people the opportunity. Since the inception of the Initiative, we've had over 10,000 participants of sports programs, cultural programs, and a full range of other activities and events. That number includes over 3,000 young people who traveled abroad[SO-USJC1] . It's been really gratifying, and in a sense it's like watching flowers bloom. Young Japanese people who go to America have the chance to meet young Americans, and we try to incorporate homestay whenever possible. It's also important to provide training for participants to develop their leadership skills. Many of our TOMODACHI programs are now focused on cross-cultural leadership development, so that young people see that their opportunities are much more global now.

Do you have any institutional support for such a big labor?

The Initiative is generously supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the American and Japanese corporate sectors. That's where the funding comes from. We also partner with organizations that have expertise in managing exchanges. There's been some decline in the number of Japanese students in the United States, and the number of Americans studying in Japan is still relatively small, so it's important to strengthen the infrastructure for exchanges. With the 2020 Olympics coming to Japan, it's an exciting time for the country as it prepares to welcome a worldwide audience. It would be very important to have young people be a part of that, either as volunteers or as part of the Olympic Games structure.

Are they any Japanese universities or institutions playing a big role in this?

We work with many Japanese universities that are involved in developing partnerships with American universities. For example, the U.S.-Japan Research Institute, a consortium of leading Japanese universities that have an office in Washington, DC, sends young researchers and scholars to Washington as a way to build the next generation of scholars who are familiar with the United States. Some of these universities are Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, and Sophia University. There are several more that are interested in attracting Americans to come to study in Japan, as well as having their students studying abroad.

The title for the Sixth U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference is "Beyond 2020 - Going Global with the U.S.-Japan Partnership". How do you see the U.S.-Japanese relations affecting the greater global economy?

The U.S. and Japan are two of the largest economies in the world, so what happens to their growth has tremendous global impact. Many investors in the United States are beginning to look at Japan now, which they haven't done for ten years or more because of the stagnation. It's exciting to see the potential for American investment in Japan as well as Japanese investment in the United States.

As well we have the imminent signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership which encompasses 12 economies and 40% of the world's GDP. What impact do you imagine this will have on U.S.-Japanese relations?

I think it can strengthen it. It helps to open up new markets, and of course there's going to have to be give-and-take on both sides. There are industries that are concerned about the impact that it might have, but I think that if the partnership is signed, it will benefit the entire Asia-Pacific region tremendously.

Last year there was a 30% rise in tourism, for example. Outside of Asia, Americans are the largest group of tourists coming to Japan.

Of the 10 million visitors Japan had last year, only 800,000 came from the United States, which is a very small number when you look at the potential and the number of Americans that travel globally. The Japan Tourism Agency is focused on trying to get more Americans to travel to Japan, and I think there's an opportunity for future growth. Once people come to Japan, they see that it's a wonderful country, that it's clean, it's safe, and that there's a lot of exciting new things happening. But the part of Japan that I love is the really authentic, historic culture. You can go out to places like Kyoto and Nara, which are just beautiful and have so much history. That is what makes traveling to Japan such an amazing experience.

A happy tourist is a potential investor, breaks down the stereotypes, it's a tangible field for the economy when you're here and you can experience it.

Yes, and as mentioned, we are hosting our Annual Conference in Tokyo for the first time in November 9-10, 2015. We feel that this is an important year to expand our work and our visibility here in Japan. We're also expecting many Americans to participate, since many of our Japanese American leaders are encouraging American leaders to come.

In this globalized world, the importance for countries to brand themselves and to communicate their strengths, can never be overstated. Taking this opportunity to reach out to an American audience with Newsweek, how would you like Americans to perceive Japan?

What I love about Japan is its history, culture, and beauty. That's a part of Japan that I hope will never change. At the same time, there's a lot of dynamism and innovation in Japan. It's a country that has the potential to continue to bring innovation to the global market, to contribute to technology, and to the growth of the global economy.